Breaking Through
by Metal-Panda-Alex
Summary: Despite her convictions against the morally unjust, Samara is not above using her powers of persuasion to help her friend. Visiting Liara T'Soni alone, she is detirmined to find a solution to Shepard's problems. FemShep/Liara. One-shot.


**Mass Effect and all related characters and places are owned by Bioware - I just make them dance for my own amusement.**

**This story does NOT take place in my usual Mass Effect continuity. I wrote it with Freya Shepard in mind, but any FemShep will do.  
**

**~xxx~**

Samara squinted slightly in the evening sun. The Illium sun was low in the sky, bathing the Trade Floor in golden light and casting stark shadows across the polished surfaces. She stood alone, looking out over the city of Nos Astra. The usual flurry of activity never ceased; it was enough to make one's head spin. However, the Justicar merely observed with cold detachment. She had let go of all ties to this sort of life, finding her true calling in the Code. That was not to say she was above others; she still enjoyed the occasional gossip, and even the odd action vid when the mood struck her. Still, she felt no remorse to be apart from the sort of depravity that went on here; as Jack had once put it – Illium was one bad day away from becoming Omega.

With a small sigh, she pushed herself away from the balcony she had been leaning on, and turned towards the main area of the Trade Floor. As she passed by the usual businesspeople and potential buyers, many pairs of eyes turned towards her. She was not unknown in Illium now; she had even heard the news reports about her. But to be seen without the company of Commander Shepard, people seemed to be subtly attempting to hide what they were doing. She didn't doubt that almost every single person she could see had committed some sort of crime, or was even in the process of doing so at that very moment. However, she had more important issues to deal with.

She approached the door to Liara T'Soni's office, noting that she had not yet found a replacement secretary; Nyxeris's desk was empty, and the computer console was inactive. Samara approached the door, and pressed her hand to the red holographic display. There was a chime, and then silence. She knew Liara was there, but perhaps given that she had no one to examine her visitors, she was being cautious. Eventually, the display turned green, before disappearing as the door itself opened. Evidently Liara had some sort of camera equipment hidden in that corridor.

Samara stepped calmly into the office, and folded her hands behind her back. Liara looked up from her computer. "Samara," she greeted. "I am honoured by your visit." It was unlikely that Liara, someone so used to being in the company other species, held Justicars in the same esteem as other asari, but the expression was appreciated. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes and no," Samara replied, slowly casting her eyes around the office. "I simply wish to speak to you. About Commander Shepard."

"I see..." Liara's voice lost some of it's confidence, and she subconsciously glanced at the small photoframe upon her desk. "Is she in some sort of trouble?"

"I am afraid she is," the older asari said, stepping slightly closer. Liara gestured at one of the chairs, but Samara ignored it. "I believe you may be able to help."

"I am afraid I don't understand," Liara said, frowning. "What exactly is wrong?"

"Recently, the Commander has exhibited worrying behaviour," Samara explained. "She has started consuming large amounts of alcohol, ignoring those around her, and now spends most of her time alone in her quarters."

"I fail to see what this has to do with me," Liara replied coldly, crossing her arms. "I am a very busy woman, it is not my responsibility to keep track of my old commander's personal life."

"Of course not," Samara said, shifting her gaze to the setting sun. "You have spent longer on Illium than you did with Shepard, but you still know her better than most on the Normandy."

"I can assure you that I know little more than others do," Liara said flatly. "But......I will assist if I can."

"I merely wish to find the reason for her shift in personality," the Justicar continued, looking back at the other asari. "According to the crew, it started around the time she and I first met."

"Then perhaps it is something to do with you," Liara suggested, her voice a little harsher than she had probably intended.

"I considered this," Samara replied. "But I have had little contact with the Commander – it is doubtful."

"Then I can't help," the young asari said. "I cannot think of anything that would upset her in such a way."

"I see..." the Justicar replied quietly. "Perhaps the gravity of the situation is beginning to affect her, then. It must be horrible to have such responsibility placed upon the shoulders of one so young."

"Shepard is strong," Liara stated. "She wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of a mission."

"That is clearly what is happening," Samara countered, starting to slowly pace around the office, her movements graceful as always as she examined the room. "Perhaps she needs someone with whom she can let her emotions flow."

"What exactly do you mean?"

"I mean that it is possible she is lonely," Samara said. "As one who has lived in solitude for four-hundred years, I can understand the effects of being alone."

"You make her sound like a child," Liara snapped. "Shepard would never care that much about a relationship with someone else, she is too important."

"I disagree," the older asari said firmly. "She needs someone..." The Justicar gave a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile. "Perhaps you can advise me as to the sort of person best suited to Shepard's needs?" Liara remained completely silent, clearly trying her hardest not to glare at Samara. The warrior stopped pacing, and placed her hands upon the back of one of the chairs, looking out of the window again. "It is common knowledge that Shepard is only attracted to females. A very strange concept, don't you agree?"

"I am not naive, Justicar," Liara said dangerously. "I am quite aware of other species' mating habits."

"And only beautiful women, to be sure," Samara continued, ignoring the other asari's words. "Miranda Lawson is a beautiful woman; a veritable ice-queen; very strong-willed. I can see Shepard being drawn to her – they would be complete equals." Once more Liara remained silent. "But perhaps she wants someone with more personality, maybe Jack......such a passion-filled woman. But I see a gentle side to her; Shepard would want to protect her, to take care of her. Despite that, Jack is such a very sexual person, I imagine she would keep Shepard very happy in a physical sense."

Liara's eye twitched. "But maybe not, maybe Shepard would prefer intelligence. The Normandy's yeoman, Kelly Chambers is a very gifted young woman. She can fluently speak the languages of all the council races without a translation device, and is well versed in many different cultures and customs. Shepard strikes me as a person who would be drawn to such intelligence; to counter her own rather brash personality."

Liara's expression was burning with rage now. "But, of course there would be something wrong with all these candidates. I heard a rumour travelling through the ship, that the one thing Commander Shepard likes more than a beautiful woman..." Samara smiled widely. "Is beautiful _asari_. Perhaps even _I_ could provide her with the companionship she seeks."

"Stop it!" Liara was instantly on her feet, slamming her fists down upon the desk with incredible force. "Stop it stop it STOP IT!"

"Then you stop this!" Samara replied, taking a dangerous step towards Liara's desk, all pretence lost. "If you really care so much about her, then what are you doing here? Is murdering the Shadow Broker more important than being with the woman you love?"

"I..." Liara looked away, her expression quickly crumpling into a look of despair. "...I have to.....I have to......she's strong.....she doesn't need me...."

"She does need you," Samara said defiantly. "And even if both our missions are successful, do you honestly believe she will love you then? A cold-blooded murderer?"

"It isn't murder!" Liara declared desperately, tears streaking down her face. "It is vengeance – revenge for what he did to me, to her..." She bit back a sob. "...to us.........he is the reason I am here and not at her side..."

"No," the Justicar replied simply. "He is the excuse. You spent two years trying to kill the one responsible for what you went through, but now Shepard has returned, you cling to that life."

"As you said......this has been my life for longer than I was with Shepard..."

"If you love her, that is irrelevant," Samara's tone had become cold. "You are afraid – scared of returning to her, that much is obvious. But why?"

"Because......" Liara looked away, directing her gaze out of the window. "...because I don't deserve her......I have done such horrible things......when I was with Shepard, she was always able to solve problems through persuasion, and diplomacy......I tried that.....and I failed........killing people is just as effective.... and far easier..."

"For your crimes, the Code compels me to kill you," Samara stated simply. "You are a dangerous woman, Liara T'Soni, more than I realised."

"Maybe that would be better..." Liara said, utterly defeated, her cheeks shining with tears. "...a Justicar would be far better than a merc or a pirate..."

"I will not kill you," Samara said, taking a deep breath. "Not now, and not after my oath to Shepard ends. She loves you, Liara, more than I think you realise. She _needs_ you. But she needs the woman she fell in love with, not the monster you have become."

"You think I can just change back?" Liara sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "It was not a conscious decision......and I realise that I am now no longer the woman I was...."

"You are," the older asari said, contradicting Liara yet again. "Beneath two years of hate, is the same woman she fell in love with."

"...you think....you think she would take me back...?" Liara asked weakly, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "...I know she offered to take me with her before.....but now she knows everything...."

"Go now, and she will welcome you back with open arms."

Liara's computer beeped, indicating a new message was waiting for her. She glanced at the screen; the message was concerning some data she had been waiting months to receive. She looked back at Samara, and down to the computer again. With a brief look at the photograph of Shepard positioned upon her desk, she reached down and simply turned the computer off. She looked back up at Samara, her eyes streaming with tears again.

"Give me five minutes," she said. "I will gather my things and wipe the computers."

"Don't," Samara replied, holding a hand up. "The data may be valuable – bring it with you, if you are sure about returning to the Normandy."

"I am sure," Liara said. "I...you have confirmed what has worried me ever since Shepard came back......and...." She sighed. "I can't do this anymore..."

"I am glad to hear it," the Justicar replied, giving a small smile. "I will accompany you back to the Normandy."

"The people down there will think you are arresting me......perhaps that is appropriate..." She looked back at the small photograph again, gazing lovingly at the Commander's smiling face. "My place has always been with her..."


End file.
